Mending His Heart
by calleighstorres
Summary: Greg reflects on how his heart broke, and how it began to mend. Set in Season 9. Implied Greg/Riley.


**Disclaimer: I don't own CSI, just borrowing (:**

**Authors Notes: I'm better at writing angsty fanfics so I challenged myself to write a more descriptive piece that focused on Greg's feelings and how they progressed. Not using so much speech was quite hard for me haha. This is what I came up with. Hope it isn't too badly written. Kinda Greg/Riley ? **

**Greg Sanders starring in: MENDING THE HEART **

Greg Sanders wasn't someone you'd expect to be so into it with his personal life. Despite having an almost all hours job, he made time. But it was never anything serious. He didn't have the time to commit like that. His job was too intense, and most of the time cases ran through into day hours. Or he was called in during the day. It wasn't very often he had time to spare. Which is why past relationships hadn't worked. He just wasn't around enough. And some people didn't get what it meant to be a forensic scientist / investigator. His nocturnal hours. Why he didn't carry a firearm. All these things he could never explain to the average person. Being a CSI was much more intense than anyone could ever really put into words.

That's why he just stuck to occasional flings. Spending a night with a girl, only knowing her by her name. He never dated any of the women he'd slept with. Those were two worlds he separated. Lust can easily be mistaken for love. Greg hadn't fallen for any of the women he had gotten intimate with purely because he just didn't have that connection. It was just attraction. Nothing more. Never would be anything more.

He'd been determined to finally catch CSI Sara Sidle. Ignoring the countless times she had brutally friendzoned him. Because the brunette rejected his romantic advances it didn't mean she didn't find him somewhat attractive. Or a possible boyfriend. He was sure she did. Deep down. Sara didn't always show how she felt, which is why he never really knew if she was flirting or playing along to humour him. However that all changed when he found out about Gil and Sara. Though he had noticed how close there had been getting. And no matter how hard he tried to convince himself that he was happy for them.

Little did anyone know, that was only the beginning of this love tragedy that was Grissom and Sara. They became the couple referred to when anyone talked about a problematic one. 'We don't want another Grissom and Sara' they would say. Greg thought about that a lot. When the older CSI left the Crime Lab, he was shocked as everyone else was. Though it had been so much more between him and the brunette. She saw him as a brother, and he saw her as a failed love interest.

Grissom began to hallucinate. Everybody noticed. When it came to finding somebody to join the team, everybody was still in disarray after Sara's departure. Including him. Sanders knew he couldn't stay stuck on this. He had to move on. For the better of him and his broken heart. A heart he pledged wouldn't ever beat again. There wasn't a single person on the planet who could make his heart beat the way she used to. He was sure the new person on the team would be some trainee out of the training program. Nick, Warrick, Catherine, Gil and Jim all were as well.

So when a girl from St. Louis arrived at the Crime Lab carrying some binders in her hands, clad in slacks, a violet blouse and a black, v-neck sweater - his opinion changed dramatically. This girl wasn't the replacement he expected. She was _hot._ A beautiful blonde. With a gun at her side. In fact, it was much more than that. She was a ballistics expert. Which meant they'd be going to her for the results in Firearms when she wasn't working a case. CSI Charlie 'Riley' Adams was someone he would never forget when he first caught sight of her.

Since she had started working at the Crime Lab, Greg had mainly been partnered with her. Not that either minded. They got on well and actually bounced off of one another's sarcasm and jokes. It was like when he needed a different person. Someone who wouldn't give him pity about Sara - she showed up. Sanders wasn't sure if this was some soulmate bs or a coincidence. But he didn't care. This woman had been the person he needed to get him feeling like his old self. She called him the 'hair puller' during one S&M case and it just.. stuck. The rest of the team all had different nicknames for her. Nick called her bullet girl, while Warrick called her Charles or Ri-lee. It was safe to say she made a difference to the team bringing her own strengths and he may have been developing a 'small crush' on her.

That day in particular, he had been a little down as it marked the day he was involved in the accident. The one he almost died in. There was so much he wanted to say yet couldn't bring himself to. Riley had felt so horrible seeing him so.. not himself. She'd wanted to say something to cheer him up, or do something. Breakfast seemed like a good start.

"Hey Greggo," Riley said as she packed up her binders and laid them in her drawer.

Greg looked up. "Yeah?" The blonde smiled as she picked up her purse. "I was wondering if you want to.. go get some breakfast? It's on me, I promise." The sandy blonde instantly grinned. "Oh, I'd love to."

He felt like he could say he was finally moving on. This girl Riley had become one of his favourite friends. They hung out a lot after work since becoming close friends, and he wouldn't change any of it. She understood all the things his exes didn't. Riley wasn't like anyone he had ever met. Her traumatic memories made him shudder. They were both suffering from a broken heart and needed a rebound. It could be good. Them together. They were mistakenly thought to be a couple by a lot of people. Even Nick and Warrick thought so as well.

Greg wasn't worried though. He knew he was with a woman who he wouldn't mind falling for. As they left the Crime Lab, Riley whispered something to him. It wasn't many words, however, it was.. reassuring. Crazy. Meaningful. He had agreed and blushed as they continued to walk to his car. Despite the melancholy, he felt he was going to be okay. Sanders had everything he would ever need.

'_I hold your heart as you hold mine._'


End file.
